A dietary intervention involving plant-based food can help people with medical conditions, including liver disease and kidney disorders. But, for people who are used to eating meat all through their lives, making a drastic dietary change and sticking to it can be difficult.
Here’s some good news: going meatless for just one meal a day could benefit people with advanced liver disease such as cirrhosis, a new study has revealed.
Adults with permanent liver damage can lower the levels of harmful ammonia by substituting one meal with a vegan or vegetarian option, according to the latest study published in the journal Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology.
Patients with cirrhosis typically have high levels of ammonia as their liver fails to remove these toxins from the body. These toxins travel to the brain, impair cognitive function, and cause confusion or delirium. This can lead to hepatic encephalopathy, a complication that can be fatal if not treated.
Western diet generally involves meals that are high in carbohydrates and red meat and low in fiber, which is known to increase levels of ammonia. Earlier studies indicate that switching to a vegetarian diet could lower ammonia levels for those with cognitive problems caused by cirrhosis.
In the latest study, researchers examined if a temporary dietary change involving one single meal a day could make a significant impact on ammonia levels in patients with cirrhosis.
“It can be so hard to make long-term dietary and behavioral changes. We wondered if making an occasional change could be an option for these patients. Liver patients with cirrhosis should know that making positive changes in their diet doesn’t have to be overwhelming or difficult,” Dr. Jasmohan Bajaj, corresponding author of the study, said in a news release.
The trial involved 30 cirrhosis patients at the Richmond VA Medical Center who are meat eaters. They were divided into three groups, and each group was given one of the three kinds of…
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